Ivanovka M1179 (Weapon)
The Ivankova Model AC1179 Service Rifle, commonly called the 1179, I-79, or Ivankova Rifle, is a six-shot, bolt-action, internal magazine-fed crystal charge rifle designed by Viktoriya Ivanovka for the military of Bausable and, by extension, Exia. It was put into production by the start of AC1180, and has not fallen out of use since. History After moving to Bausable in AC1154, Viktoriya Ivanovka set up a gunsmithing shop. There, she would repair and service civilian firearms, as well as sketch, test, and build firearms of her own design. In AC1179, as New Dendarin was showing increased aggression levels to all of their neighbors, Bausable was looking to update their arsenal, as their existing standard service rifle was over forty years old, dating back to before the change to heavy-charge rifles such as the SS1155-R. Many civilians directed Queen Adriana, formerly a soldier, in the direction of Viktoriya. She was informed that the queen wanted to browse her designs. The design for the Model AC1179 was selected from a pool of dozens due to its small, low power charge, and a shape she found appealing. It was put into production with Viktoriya in charge of quality assurance. Over 30 thousand rifles were made in bausable before orders started coming in from the military of Exia, who had been unable to procure aid in producing advanced firearms and was left to their practically antique Doja Fajaid 1150s which, while advanced for the time, were considered unreliable and unpredictable weapons in the modern day. The designs were shared with them due to the close relationship between Bausable and Exia. A further 17.5 thousand were commissioned in Exia, with Exian Ebony stocks and a phrase written in gold paint on the right side. "I iKeno Amalakusa e muej Silini.", which translates to "For the Queen Amalxa and her Lover Selene.", referring to the Queen of Exia, Amalxa Zaynaisil Dorenisil Exiaej, and the princess of Bausable, Selene Deroya. The blueprint for the rifle was over 25 years old at the time, and weapon was far obsolete the day it started production. Most were converted to a later pattern that had provisions for a box magazine that doubled the capacity of the previous internal magazine, and a later offshoot design would feature self-loading capabilities. Design Details The weapon featured several of the innovations pioneered in the M1155-RND. A bolt that pushed the charge forwards in the receiver instead of holding the charge within the bolt, and improved sights over the plain posts sported by the SS1155-R. Features unique to the rifle for the time included an adjustable rear sight used for newly designed "Mortar Charges" that were able to be arced over cover and hills, and the prototypes featured a bolt that could be turned 180 degrees, or all the way to the opposing side of the rifle, allowing for both left and right handed models to be one in the same. This style of receiver and bolt was seen as weak as the pin that functioned to guide the bolt often snapped, causing the bolt to swivel freely from the left side to the right. The bolt was replaced with one more similar to the SS1130-R, with a large safety lug on the right side of the bolt. Variants Model AC1179 While the original rifle was available in both red stained wood in Bausable and Exian ebony stocks for Exian service, they were mechanically identical. Model AC1179/81 The first real changes came two years later in the form of the Ivanovka Rifle Model AC1179/81, which allowed for the use of box magazines rather than an internal magazine. This was a commonly requested feature among soldiers using the weapon, as reloads were often finicky and resistant to ammunition entering in any direction other than "straight down". The stock was altered with an additional spring arm for the barrel bands and adding a grip spur, allowing for a more secure hold against the shoulder. This version also saw the end of blued steel for Bausable issued rifles, instead favoring the parkerization already found on the Exian produced rifles. Model AC1179/83 The final bolt-action descendant of the I79 was the I79/83, with the magazine well being made from scratch rather than simply having the floorplate of the original removed. The long box magazines of the I79/81 were reported to be cumbersome by the infantry who were testing them in field trials, leading to a shortened six round magazine to be issued with the updated rifle. Model AC1184-A At the outbreak of the Meri Socialist Revolutions, loyalist forces began reaching out to friendly nations, requesting any new rifles that could be sold to them. It would need to be lightweight, water resistant, and have a high ammunition capacity. The result would be the Ivanovka Rifle Model AC1184 Aquatic. The stock had been changed to a straight stock with a pistol grip after the success of the Kizae Model AC1171/84's straight stock. It was also hollow, had holes in the front and back to allow water to flow out, featured a lanyard ring above the grip to prevent the rifle from sinking, and was composed of experimental impact resistant plastics. These plastics were more resistant to water and faster to produce than wooden stocks. The barrel was made from a different alloy, named white brass, which was less likely to corrode in water than ferrosteel. The bolt itself would be heavily modified, having a large protrusion functioning only as a lug to lock the bolt forward instead of also functioning as the root of the bolt handle. The handle itself would be moved to the rear of the bolt, as well as being turned downwards instead of straight to the right. The adjustable rear sight would also be removed in favor of fixed battle sights, as submarine and island combat was fought at shorter ranges. It would accept different charges, with lower capacity and more aggressive rifling to allow for longer ranges underwater. These charges were fed by 12 charge double stack box magazines instead of 8 charge en-bloc clips, another step forward to catch up to the rest of the world's armaments. These rifles were seen by the Bausable and Exian militaries to be an overall improvement over the previous M79/81 and saw limited prototyping for a new service rifle, with ferrosteel fixtures in place of white brass and a plastic cover for the barrel, due to the lack of surrounding water cooling it. Model AC1185 The version eventually put into trials by the nations militaries would be produced after only a year, the Ivanovka Rifle Model AC1185, with a smoothed stock, a shortened barrel, and utilizing straight blowback action. This advancement may have put Exia and Bausable on even footing with New Dendarin's Shwetz M81, with light, durable rifles that could be produced in a relatively short amount of time. However, the issues inherent in the simple blowback system came to be apparent, alongside the brittleness of plastic in the cold of the south. ISLR-M86 Due to the issues noted in the trial, the rifle would be overshadowed by the Ivanovka Self Loading Rifle Model AC1186, a semi automatic rifle that maintained the stock, sights, and barrel of the M79/81, but had the upper receiver made from scratch, extended magazines became standard issue, and holes were added to the handguard to aid in cooling the barrel. The metal fixtures were powder coated black following their anti-corrosion treatment, and bausable issued rifles had their wood stained black rather than red. This was mostly intended to appear intimidating, but also aided in stealth operations, as bright red rifles were easily spotted against snow and dark foliage. This weapon was also designed by Viktoriya Ivanovka, who refused to put technology created by her greatest rival in her own weapons, instead relying on a recoil locking action derived from commission rifles such as the SS1181-R and Kobeula 82, who had no single designer. The military had asked for a wind impingement system like the one found in the Shwetz M81, but this was seen as acceptable. The Bausable Civil War had recently broken out and the military needed an advantage. This was a blow to Viktoriya's pride, that her host nation would go to someone other than her for their arms. Conflicts Dendarin Expansion Conflicts The weapon was instrumental in use against attempted violations of the Exian border by New Dendarin. The mountainous terrain of Exia was a large factor, combined with the use of specialized mortar charges. Their defensive power was enough to get New Dendarin to retreat and sign an armistice, redirecting their attention to holding the line against the defenses of Nordflus and parts of Montase. Controversy "Traitor to Sterlina?" Following the creation and production of the Ivanovka Rifle, the government of Sterlina released an official statement that claimed Viktoriya had "Released government secrets to an opposing foreign power", and was now a wanted criminal within Sterlina. Many attribute this to the fact that she may have created the 1155 series of rifles, and thus the rifle's design was declared a "government secret". Others believe that the exact energy capacity of the C8.81x14.5mm charge used by said rifle was revealed to Bausable's military. She denies involvement with the rifle and its accessories, and is currently living under the protection of Bausable and Exia. Real-Life Origins The weapon's physical appearance and shape was based upon that of the Mosin-Nagant 3 Line Rifle, while the rear sight was based upon that of the Schmidt–Rubin Model 1889.